The Pact Keepers
by CosmicRainbowBrite
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto lives in a world full of magical creatures, who can be controlled by humans with the proper aptitude. Sakura must learn to use her own abilities to control these powerful beasts before a terrible prophecy brings destruction upon the world. Will the man tasked with training her be able to teach her how to master her talent in time?
1. Chapter 1: The Forest of Clow

Chapter One: The Forest of Clow

Sakura Kinomoto found herself being hunted. The grey wolf was on her heels. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, through the thick trees. The creature snarled with fangs bared, snapping at her ankles. The tree limbs barred her path, flinging herself forward, she managed to shove them out of the way. The forest was dark and soundless. Not even the chirping of a cricket or the hoot of a lonely owl filled the stagnant air.

Sakura's olive cloak whipped around her as she pressed on deeper into the woods. The toe of one of her leather boots caught on a loose branch. She stumbled, falling onto her delicate hands, and dropped the flashlight that she had weaved her fingers around. The angry wind tore at her auburn hair, and chilled her down to the bone. She shivered involuntarily from the cold autumn night.

Behind her the wolf growled. Terror pressed in on her lungs, she struggled to breath. She was going to die here tonight before her journey had even begun. She braced herself for what was to come, a hungry wolf ready to devour her tender flesh.

It stopped, watching her with it's empty yellow eyes. Its grizzled fur was standing on end and teeth protruded from its black rimmed lips. Its massive paws dug into the dying grass. With one swipe of them she could die. Tightly, she closed her emerald eyes. If death was coming for her than she didn't want to watch.

It lunged for her, she gripped her knuckles until they turned a pale shade of white. The killing blow never came. Several moments passed before Sakura reopened her eyes. The wolf had disappeared like it had never been. A sigh escaped her thin lips. Her heart fluttered erratically, panic still pulsing through her veins. The wolf spirit had stopped chasing her. She couldn't be sure why, but she was grateful.

A gentle hum caught her attention, and she glanced down. The ring she had been entrusted to her was glowing green dimly in the darkness. Perhaps it had protected her? It held some kind of magic that she had yet to understand. The ring had once belonged to her mother, before her untimely death. Her father told her it had been passed down in her mother's family for generations. He had given the ring to her just weeks ago on her eighteenth birthday.

Sakura had known little about her mother's family growing up. They were a mystery to her and her older brother Touya. Her father was never forth coming with information, even when either of the siblings had tried to pry it from him. Strangely, he had suddenly produced this ring, claiming that her mother had made him promise on his deathbed to give it to Sakura when she was of age.

She covered the ring tightly with her other hand. _Thank you._

She needed to get out of this forest, but there would be no chance of that happening anytime soon. It was dangerous especially at this time of the night. Spirits were more active in the darkness, well usually the more aggressive ones anyway. Sakura forced herself back onto her feet. She stumbled at first but quickly righted herself. Bending over she ran her fingers along the fresh grass until she uncovered her lost flashlight.

Sakura trudged onward, further into the trees, this would be the only way to find safety. Ever since she was given the ring strange things had begun to happen to Sakura. The rambunctious spirits that inhabited the world had become drawn to her. It didn't matter if she took off the ring and hide in her sock drawer, they still came for her. She found that the ring helped to protect her so she made sure to have it with her at all times.

In this word there were few people who could control the spirits, Pact Keepers. These individuals could bind the creatures to their will, using their power as their own. They worked with the spirits to keep humans safe from other spirit's destructive powers. She needed to find one of these Pact Keepers to help her figure out what was going on. Sakura could no longer stay with her family. It was becoming much too dangerous to stay near. The spirits were volatile, and she never know what they were capable of. Sakura loved her father and brother dearly, and she'd do whatever it took to keep them out of harm's way.

She had heard stories of one of these Pact Keepers living within the center of Clow forest. This Pact Keeper was rumored to be so powerful he could survive living in the forest with only the company of his spirits. If anyone could help her with her problem she believed it would be him. So Sakura had left her family to search for this mystery person. She hadn't even been able to learn his name. She hopped that she would find him soon, Sakura had been searching for days and she was getting low on supplies.

Ahead of her there appeared to be a worn path. Years of neglect had made the trail almost unrecognizable, even with the light of her flashlight she had barely been able to see it. Perhaps, this was what she was searching for. She dared to hope it would lead her to the man she believed could help solve all of her problems.

She followed the trail, branches and overgrowth sporadically made the trek difficult. Sakura managed to go around part of it, but the rest she had to just push through. The girl hadn't thought to bring a knife or any instrument to cut through the brush. This wasn't a situation she had been trained for. All her life she thought she would live a peaceful existence as a preschool teacher. She had never thought she'd become some wilderness explorer in search of a spirit user.

Hours later, when the sun had begun to rise, she made it to the end of the path. A small cottage stood in a gap in the tree line. Then rays of the sun bounced off its glass windows. Sakura studied its shape. The building was crafted out of beautiful limestone. Rich green ivory sprouted up the sides of the structure. An oak door stood in a stone frame. This had to be the place she was looking for. She could feel it in her bones. Excitement bubbled through her, she'd been lost in this forest for days. Sakura had begun to think she would never reach her goal. Only hours before she thought a wolf spirit was going to shred her apart. Maybe there was a solution to her problem after all. Maybe she could get help now, go home to her family, and still live a normal life.

Sakura mustered the energy to run to the door. She raised her palm, pressing her fingers into a fist she prepared to knock. Before her fist connected with the door it creaked open. On the other side stood a man. He looked to be no more than a few years older than she was herself. Wire framed glasses covered his pale face, but somehow they were able to show off his brilliant violet eyes. His ebony hair was unkempt as if he had just woken up from a dream. He probably had, most people were usually still asleep at this time of day. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon.

He was dressed in a long purple robe. His feed were tucked securely into black slippers. On his face was an amused half smile, and there was a sparkle in his peculiar eyes. The man motioned for her to follow him inside. She wasn't sure if she should take him up on the offer, after all he was a stranger. But if she didn't follow him she had come all this way for nothing. This man had to be the person she was looking for so she passed the threshold into his cottage.

"Hello, Sakura," His voice was calm and collected, not surprised in the least bit, almost like he had been expecting her. The fact that he knew her name startled her. It jolted her from the happiness she had felt at finally finding something in this vast forest. What if this was a mistake?

"Do I know you." She asked, puzzled by his words.

"Not yet," He told her honestly. "But I knew you were coming. I saw it in a dream."

The man cocked his head to the side, another grin spread across his pale face. It was then that Sakura noticed that porcelain cups of steaming tea sat on an elegant silver tray. He had been waiting, he'd even prepared them tea.

Sakura glanced around the cottage it was furnished in an older style than she was accustomed to. Woven oriental rugs could be found on the stone floor. The wooden coffee table where the tea cups were placed upon had curved legs. A couch with a yellow and brown floral design and matching loveseat were originated around it. Plush pillows with frilled edges sat in each corner of the couch. It reminded her of something one of her friend's grandmothers would have picked out.

There was a magnificent cuckoo clock hanging on one of the walls. It was her favorite thing about the room, Sakura had always liked the look of beautiful clocks. She couldn't see much of the rest of the house, except the front room. A hallway snaked away from the living room which she image lead to more rooms. She could see just a peak of the kitchen from her vantage point in the living area.

She forced her attention back to the young man in front of her. His eyes were watching her like a hawk. "Who are you?"

"First please have a seat. I've prepared us some tea." He gestured with had hand to the silver tray. "My name is Eriol Hiiragizawa, I believe you were looking for me."

Sakura lowered herself slowly onto the loveseat, and picked up a delicate cup in her fingers. Eriol did the same, except he took a seat on the sofa. She brought the cup to her lips and took a sip. It was camomile, her favorite.

She pressed her lips together, once again startled. "Yes, I think so. Are you the Pact Keeper who lives in Clow Forest?"

He nodded. "It appears you have a problem and were looking for some assistance, correct?"

"Yes," She said slowly. "I have a issue you see…."

"I'm afraid, my dear, you've come all this way and I fear I won't be able to give you the help you are seeking." A pained expression slipped onto his face.

Sakura hung her head, feeling the hope she had allowed to expand deflate. It seemed as if this had been a wasted trip. She tucked a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear. It had come loose from the green ribbon she had used to tie her hair up in on the journey.

"Don't worry," He told her in a low tone. "Your trip is not in vain. There are things I must tell you, things your mother wasn't able to tell you since she died so very young."

"Huh," The sound slipped out of Sakura's mouth before she could stop it. "You knew my mother? You're nearly the same age as me. That seems impossible."

"No, I didn't know her. Not when she was alive anyway. She came to me in a dream recently, and she warned me of your arrival. You were a bit later than I expected though, so I sent one of my spirts off to fetch you."

 _The wolf….he had sent that blood thirsty creature that had almost killed her._

"You sent the wolf?" She asked, trying to hide the anger in her voice.

"Yes," Eriol answered honestly. "Sorry if he seemed a bit hostile. I didn't want him to chase you like that, but he is a bit of a wild spirit. I think he was just trying to have some fun with you. He did chase you nearly all the way to the path."

Sakura supposed that at least he was trying to help her find her way. Without him sending the spirit how much longer would she had wandered alone and lost in that forest? Her mother, why had she contacted him? What was going on here anyway? Her heart thudded, pulse picking up its pace. She took a deep breath to steady herself.

"What did my mother want me to know?" Sakura was almost afraid of the answer, but words from her deceased mother, the mother she hadn't really known….she had to know what they were.

"Before I tell you them, there is something else." Eriol pressed the teacup to his lips and took a small sip. "It's not the ring that pulls the spirits close to you Sakura. It's your blood. It sings to them as does mine. You are not like everyone else Sakura, you have potential to become a Pact Keeper."

Sakura remained silent, taking in his words. Eriol placed his cup back down on the saucer with a dull clank.

"The ring is something your mother left to you because she sensed it should be passed down to you before her death. Your brother doesn't have the same abilities as you, he doesn't have the same raw potential to be a Pact Keeper, and your mother knew you would need the ring to help keep you safe." Eriol crossed his legs, stretching them out under the coffee table.

Sakura eyed him, this was a lot of information for anyone, but she believed this man was telling her the truth. She didn't get a sense that he was lying to her. He truly seemed like he wanted to help her, and if this wasn't the truth then how would he know so much about her...He knew about her name, her mother's death, the ring, and more.

"What does the ring do exactly?" She asked, her curiosity peaked.

"It will help you control your powers. Think of it as a conduit, as you will. It will both act as a barrier to help keep lower level spirits from harming you, and it will help you control your powers once you form your first pact."

"Is that all?"

"No, have you ever heard of the Spirit Prophecy?"

Sakura pondered his questions, placing one hand under her small chin. "Yes, we learned about it in school. It is said that once the glow of the emerald is awaken from its slumber the world will be thrown into chaos, two heros would rise to restore the balance between humans and spirits. If the heroes fail in their most sacred duty then the world will no longer cease to exist. That's just an old superstitious tale though right?"

"I'm afraid not Sakura. The emerald has awaken. It's on your finger now. It's been glowing correct? That's one of the reasons your mother left it to you. She saw this in a vision. Like me, your mother had the sight, and she knew you had your part to play."

Sakura swallowed hard. This wasn't what she was expecting. How was she supposed to help with something like this if what he said was even true? She hadn't doubted him before, but this seemed so far fetched. All she wanted was to go home to her family and become a normal preschool teacher.

"What is my role?" Sakura's hands trembled slightly, scared of the answer.

"I'm afraid that even I don't know. For now I believe you need to learn how to control your awakened powers. There is one person who I believe can help you do this. I will send you to him." Eriol watched her face, over his wired frames.

"Why not you? You're a Pact Keeper. Can't you just teach me?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to journey to meet someone else. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to be trained at all. Would doing this help keep her family safe?

"That is not my role to play." He said simply, a gentle smirk played on his thin lips. "I will send you to my younger cousin. He is a better teacher than I could ever hope to be."

"There isn't anything you can do to help keep the spirits away from me?" Sakura asked, desperate for another solution to her problem.

"No, but if you become a Pact Keeper you'll be strong enough to control the spirits on your own. That's the only way you'll be able keep your family safe."

Sakura sighed. Just what had she gotten herself into? She picked her cup back up and inhaled the aroma of her camomile tea to try to calm her startled nerves. If it was the only way to keep her family safe she'd do it.

"Okay, Eriol, just tell me what I need to do."

Authors Note:

Thanks for reading! I've been wanting to write a CCS Fan Fic for awhile. I'm working on writing some actual books that I'd like to publish in the future, but I think this will be a nice break from my current works. :) Please comment and let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2: Bad Luck

Chapter Two: Bad Luck

Luck was not with Syaoran Li today. He grasped the letter in his palms, still covered in sweat from today's training regimen. The seal keeping the letter closed was of a golden sun with yellow pointed rays, they jutted out from the paper envelope creating an elegant design. The young man sighed deeply, he knew it was from his cousin, and he owed him a favor.

With nimble fingers he tore the seal open, and pulled out the letter from within. It was indeed in his cousin's loopy handwriting. Syaoran's amber eyes studied the page, reading over it not just once, but twice. It was a strange request, one that would be a pain in his ass. He wished he hadn't accepted his cousin's help now more than ever. He exhaled sharply, if this was what he must do to repay his debt then he'd just have to accept his fate. After he completed this task he'd be free from owing him anything, and he'd never let the bastard help him with anything again.

Eriol's owl spirit watched him with its curious gaze. It had brought the letter to him, doing its master's bidding. It puffed out its chest and spread its enormous wings. It was much larger than a normal owl, at least twice the size. Syaoran scowled at the creature. It refused to leave without his reply. He didn't understand why Eriol wanted a reply. The bastard knew he'd be bound to complete this request, even if he didn't want to.

The spirit wobbled over to him, clumsy on its birdlike feet. It opened its beak and produced a wailing screech. Syaoran covered his ears as a splitting pain rattled around in his skull. Perhaps his cousin had sent this creature to torment him.

"Alright, alright…" Syaoran yelled at the bird. "I'll get your reply. Just wait one damn second."

Syaoran walked over to the backpack he had left under a nearby tree. He'd decided to go training this morning, taking a hike out into the mountains near his home. He found that hiking out here in the wild helped focus his mind. One of his own spirits, Okami, a wolf spirt of the forest and the twin to the one Eriol possessed enjoyed these outings. He could feel the creature relax under his skin, content with their surroundings.

He dug into the backpack, fumbling for paper and a pen. Luckily, he had brought some with him. He had intended to use it do some sketching after training. Syaoran enjoyed surveying the outdoors. When he had some free time, he'd liked to do some sketching of the beautiful trees or the wild spirits that roamed these lands.

In his neat handwriting he penned a short reply. He had no envelope to place it in other than the one Eriol had sent, hastily he stuffed it inside. Syaoran extended the letter to the still screeching owl. It blinked at it, before clamping it's sharp beak around the unsealed letter. Thankfully the hideous sound stopped immediately. Syaoran's ears and pounding head instantly felt relief.

The spirit expanded its wings. They glowed in the midmorning sun. The creature flew off letter in its beak, faster than any normal bird would ever hope to be. There were few clouds in the endless blue sky. Syaoran inwardly cursed, what was his creepy cousin getting him into now? He shook his head, messy chocolate-brown hair swayed.

He walked back over to the sword he had dropped with the arrival of the letter. Syaoran tried to regain his focus, swinging at the empty air with his blade. Beads of sweat began to reform on his skin. His biceps rippled under the force of his own power. Digging deep into his own well of magic he found his link to Okami. He channeled the wolf's strength. It surged through him like a bolt of lightning, creating an even more powerful blow.

The force hit a nearby rock, cutting it cleanly in two halves. This was working, he was getting stronger every day. Soon he'd be able to take his rightful place as head of his family. None of the elders would be able to stop him. He'd be the youngest leader they'd ever had, but he'd trained for the job his whole life. It didn't matter that they thought he was too rash and young. He'd make them see he was ready.

Hopefully Eriol's request wouldn't set him too far back from his goal. Damn, he'd need to train some useless girl. She hadn't come into her own power until she turned eighteen. According to his cousin, she hadn't known she had any. Syaoran furrowed his eyebrows. This would be such a waste of his time. Maybe he'd quickly be able to help her form a pact with some weak creature, teach her the basics, then send the girl on her way.

Maybe she'd be a quick learner. Syaoran frowned. He hoped she wasn't the annoying sort like most woman he knew. His sisters were like turbulent whirlwinds of emotion. They tried to force him to go out on dates with girls now, wanting to know every detail about his nonexistent love life. The only girl he felt he got along with was his cousin Meiling, but that was probably only because she liked to train with him. Unfortunately, she didn't have the power to form pacts with spirits. Even without magic, she was a force to be reckoned with. Based on her martial arts ability alone, he knew she'd be able to take down nearly any foe. There was no way this girl was going to be able to be like his cousin, no one could match her.

Syaoran's insides twisted in anger. This was going to be a disaster. So much for training today...the more he thought about Eriol's request the harder it was to focus. Okami appeared out of thin air. The wolf nudged him with his head, trying to calm his nerves. Syaoran haphazardly ran his fingers through his thick black fur. The creature always knew just when he was needed. He was the first spirit Syaoran had ever made a pact with, and the most observant.

The wolf spirit tilted its head to the side watching it's master through its ice blue eyes. "It's fine," Syaoran told the wolf, patting his head. "I just need a minute to cool down, then we can do some more training."

The wolf seemed happy with that, wagging its long tail. This action brought a smile to Syaoran's lips. If nothing else, Okami could always manage to brighten his day.

Authors Note:

This chapter was a bit shorter than the other, but I really enjoyed writing it. I'm off work right now and I'm really in the mood to add to this story so you can expect at least one more chapter to be completed in the next few days. :)

Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who celebrates this holiday! I hope everyone has a fantastic day.

Please leave me a review, I haven't received one yet and I'd really like to know that at least one person is enjoying this. It would help me keep up this fast paced writing. Lol Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3: A Complete Disaster

Chapter Three: A Complete Disaster

Sakura stared open mouthed at Eriol as he opened up a portal in his living room. The owl spirit, whom he had sent to deliver a message to her teacher, had returned with his reply. The moment it had returned, Eriol had informed her it was time for her to leave him, and had summoned the peculiar object. She couldn't see through the silvery material. It resembled water but was thicker. Hazy gray smoke swirled along the edges creating a frame, like a picture..or a mirror.

She moved to stand in front of the object, and indeed saw that her reflection was cast back at her. Her hair was a mess, strands had fallen out of her green ribbon. Scratches and bruises ran down the full length of her arms. A few marks, from forcing her way through the brushes, were stark red against her pale cheeks. There was even a giant rip in her olive clock that she hadn't noticed before.

 _I look like a mess._

She pulled the ribbon out of her long auburn hair freeing it from its constraints, and placed it into her pocket. Her hair cascaded down her back, stopping just below her torso. Green eyes stared back at her through the silvery liquid, her bangs fell midway through her eyebrows. Sakura pulled her arm up, reaching towards the portal. Her fingertips grazed the strange substance. It felt cool to the touch, in a good way, like peppermint on her warm tongue.

"He's waiting for you on the other side." Eriol told her.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Sakura asked, still somewhat skeptical. She had never used this method of transportation, actually she was sure almost no one else had.

Eriol nodded his head. "It's perfectly safe. I created it, with a little help from my spirits of course."

"But have you ever used it?"

He looked a bit offended, the barest hint of a frown formed on his pale face. "Of course, I use it all the time. You don't think I stay here in this forest all the time do you? A Pact Keeper needs to travel. I've found this invention quite useful."

Sakura sucked in a breath, steeling herself. "Okay, I'll do it."

She took another step towards the portal, until she was a hairsbreadth away from the surface. Sakura took a look back at Eriol. He was watching her with this deep violet eyes waiting patiently for her to step through. He probably couldn't wait for her to leave since she was here interrupting his peaceful morning.

"You're not interrupting."

"Can you read my mind?" Sakura stammered, a slight blush crossed the bridge of her nose and kissed her high cheekbones.

"No, you're just easy to read. Now go, Sakura. You're just wasting time here. There is nothing more I can do to help you right now."

She faced forward, staring down the simmering liquid. This was just another step she needed to take to ensure that her family was safe. Putting one foot in front of the other she stepped through the portal. Her body felt pleasantly cool, like the first time jumping into the lake on a particularly hot day. Sakura kept stepping forward, her booths glided through the material like it was water. In front of her lay a doorway to another part of the world.

Sakura spun around, where a second opened door was behind her. It was the Eriol's home, the place she had came from. He was standing in front of her an amused smile on his lips. Sakura swiveled back, after all she needed to move forward to accomplish her goal. She walked towards the other side, and reached the other doorway. There were no obstructions to keep her from going through. She braced herself and pushed forward.

Once she was on the other side the gentle cooling sensation she had been feeling abruptly left her body. Taking a look behind her she noticed that the portal had vanished. It looked like there was no way back, so she stumbled on into the unknown area. She was in a forest, but it was different from the one she had come through earlier. There were mountains with snow covered peaks set off in the distance. The sky was clear and bright blue. There wasn't one hint of a cloud in the sky.

When she took a breath, she inhaled the scent of pine and sandalwood. Sakura wasn't sure where she was, but at least this place smelled nice. She trudged through the trees as she inspecting her surroundings. There should be a manor somewhere around here. Eriol had told her she would find her new teacher there. Hopefully, this wouldn't be like finding Eriol's cottage all over again. She was extremely exhausted, as she had not gotten much sleep in the last few days. In fact, she'd gotten none the night before, not with that wolf spirit chasing her.

Maybe she should just find a place to rest? It would do her no good starting her training when she was so tired anyway. Before she could pick out a nice grassy spot, she heard a swishing noise. Sakura strained her ears to find the direction it was coming from. It wasn't a natural sound of the forest, perhaps it was a spirit. There was no way she'd be able to get any rest if one was nearby. She couldn't risk being eaten or tricked by another creature today.

She heard the swish again, followed by a the noise of something being struck by a strong force. If it was a spirit she'd never heard one that had made a similar noise. A lot of spirits took on the appearance of animals or humanoid creatures, thus adopting those sounds. This sounded like something else entirely.

Sakura's curiosity got the better of her and she started off in the direction of the sound. She reasoned that maybe it was someone who could help her find her way to her teacher's manor. Cautiously she approached, trying to be as silent as possible. Sakura had always been athletic. She had been good at sports when she had been in school, but when she wasn't completely paying attention to her surroundings, stuck in her own mind, she was known to be a bit of a klutz.

Too focused on where the sound was coming from instead of her feet, she stumbled over a small rock. She feel to the ground, bracing herself with her hands. The swishing noise stopped. She bit her lip, whatever it was must have heard her fall. Rustling from the forest in front of her told her something was coming.

A young man emerged from behind a string of pine trees. He carried a gleaming sword in his right hand hand. His hard amber eyes focused on her, and he frowned. His feet, clad in black and white sneakers, carried him towards her. Gently, he sat his sword down in the grass near her fallen form. His dark brown hair gleamed in the light of the midday sun.

"Are you Sakura?" He asked, his mouth set into a grim line.

With all that was left of her dignity, Sakura pulled herself up into a sitting position on the forest floor. She tucked her legs underneath herself, and pulled her hands into her lap. The man continued to watch her with a stoic expression. He raised one dark eyebrows at her.

"Yes, I'm looking for…"

"Me," He told her sharply. "Eriol sent you right?"

She nodded. "He said you'd be able to help me. I need to train to be a Pact Keeper, and that you would be able to show me how this all works."

He glanced at her, eyes full of irritation. "Well, I'll see what I can do. I'm not a miracle worker though. Do you at least have any experience fighting? I'm guessing that you don't judging by the way you just face planted on to the ground."

Sakura huffed through her nose, this man was quite rude.

"No, but I'll have you know I was an excellent cheerleader. I'm very athletic, so I'm sure I'll pick up anything you can teach me rather quickly if it has to do with physical fitness."

"I have my work cut out for me." He grumbled, and shook his head.

Sakura's heart sunk. How was she going to learn anything from this man? He was gruff and didn't seem to care about teaching her at all. Why had Eriol picked him out of all people? Surely Eriol would have been a much better choice as a teacher. This was going to to be a disaster. She'd need to channel all of her willpower to get through this test life had thrown at her. Sakura would put up with this for her family's sake.

The young man leaned forward and retrieved his sword. He didn't offer a hand to help her up off the ground, but he motioned for her to follow him with his free hand. His tanned cargo pants swished as he took a few steps forward. Sakura still sat on the cold ground. She was beginning to lose feeling in her legs.

He glanced back at her. "Are you coming?"

Sakura picked herself up off the ground, legs wobbling. "Where are we going? And what is your name anyway?"

"My name is Syaoran Li, and I'm taking you to my one of my estates. You look like you'll need to rest before we start training."

Sakura followed after him. Syaoran moved quickly and with her exhaustion it was hard to keep up. They navigated through a cluster of trees, moving downward into a valley. Sakura was out of breath when she reached the bottom. She shivered from the chilly air. It was colder here than the area she had come from. She wondered exactly where she was. Eriol could have dropped her off literally anywhere, she could be halfway across the world.

They arrived in front of a iron gate, connecting to a line of fence. Syaoran easily pushed it open and passed through. Sakura followed closely behind. In the distance she could see an enormous structure towering into the sky. It was a home, with many floors and numerous windows. Sakura figured that this must be their destination. She was grateful, as she could barely take another step.

Syaoran found a cobblestone path. It wound through gardens, where few flowers bloomed in the cold weather. Elegant trees danced in the light breeze. It must have been magnificent in warmer weather. The path brought them up to stone steps leading to a set of white double doors, the entrance to the manor. The doors were engraved with a pattern of moons and stars spiraling around the edges.

The young man turned the brass doorknob on the door to the right. It opened without hesitation. She wondered if he ever used a key, or if it just wasn't necessary. It seemed like they were out in the middle of nowhere anyway.

They entered a parlor, beautiful granite gleamed in under the light of a crystal chandler. A glass coffee table was surrounded by black leather sofas. Oil paintings of various figures spread out on the walls. They looked as if they were particularly important, members of his family perhaps? Sakura had never seen such a magnificent room. This man had to have a lot of money, or his family held a lot of wealth. Li, hadn't she heard that surname before?

She tailed behind Syaoran as he began to ascend up a grand staircase. The marble material from the parlor's floor continued up the steps. The banisters gleamed as if they were painted in real silver. It was stunning. Her family could never afford something like this. They were lucky to share their meager three bedroom home. Despite it's lack of finery she loved it anyway.

Once they were on the second floor, he motioned for her to enter a room. He pressed his palm against the door, which opened at the barest of touches. Inside she found a room fit for royalty. A lavish king sized canopy bed stretched out before her. There was a dark oak writing desk, matching dresser, and set of chests. There was even a small door on the left, that attached to her very own private bathroom. She gaped at the grandness of it all. Surely he didn't expect her to stay here...it was too much for someone like her. Who was this boy? A prince?

"Get some rest," Syaoran stated plainly, as if the room she showed her was normal. When he saw Sakura's hesitant look, he rolled his eyes. "This is one of the guest rooms. It'll be easier for me to train you if you just stay here until it's over with. Let one of the servants know if you need anything. There are a few wandering around the estate. Once you get some rest someone should bring you some food."

Sakura's eyes skimmed the room yet again. She didn't think she'd ever sleep in a finer place. This boy may be rude, but at least he had good taste in decor...well if he even had been the one to pick this stuff out. He probably had someone do it for him.

"Training starts tomorrow." The words left no room for argument, but that was fine with Sakura. The sooner she got this over with the better.

"Works for me." She told him, as she plopped onto the edge of the bed.

Immediately she sunk down into the plush mattress. She forced herself to suppress the content sigh that funneled up through her dry throat. With one last glance at her Syaoran left the room, leaving her to her own devices. She lay back on the bed, silk sheets met her soft skin. It was the most comfortable bed she had ever laid on. It was even better than her cousin Tomoyo's. She'd never thought someone would be able to top that. Sakura dug into the warm blankets. Her eyes closed automatically.

 _Thank goodness for beds._

She buried her head into the microfiber pillow. Sakura felt as if she could lay there forever. Her breath came out in soft waves, and before she knew it she had fallen fast asleep.

Authors Note:

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this. Thank you to my one guest reviewer! I'm so glad you are enjoying this. I'm really happy to finally write a CCS Fan Fic. I just came up with an idea for another Fan Fic so you can expect to see that once I get a little further on this one.

Who else is so excited for the new Card Captor Sakura anime? I've been reading the manga, but I can't wait for the anime to come out. :)

Don't forget to leave me a review!


	4. Chapter 4: Dinner

Chapter Four: Dinner

"So there is a girl staying in one of the guest rooms?" Meiling Li questioned her cousin, prodding him to explain the unusual situation.

She currently resided with him and a few servants in this vacation house. They two had wanted to get away from their family for awhile, mostly Syaoran's annoying sisters. This was the most remote house that Syaoran's family owned, and he thought it would be a good location for them to work on their training.

Syaoran's wolf spirit, Okami, padded behind the two young adults as they walked to the dining hall for their evening had made sure that the servants set an extra place for their new guest once she had learned about her arrival. One of the maids had retold the day's events to Meiling, who was shocked to learn her cousin of all people had brought home a girl. He hadn't even bothered to tell her what what going on?

"Yes," He exclaimed, annoyed. "It's Eriol's doing…"

She grinned wide, like the chesire cat. "Oh, well that explains it. I was beginning to worry you'd brought some harlot home."

Their distant cousin Eriol was a scream. He was always trying to meddle in Syoran's life. She wondered what mischief he had in mind this time. Since he'd sent the girl then he'd mostly likely done it to get on Syaoran's nervers.

Syaoran glowered at her, seething hatred filled his eyes. "That bastard, he's always doing things to get on my last nerve. And Geez Meiling, of all people you know I'd not waste my time with some pathetic little girl. I don't want any distractions from my training."

"So why did he send her?"

"He wants me to train her. Eriol sent me a letter. It said she'd just stumbled upon her abilities and needs to be trained as a Pact Keeper. He said he didn't have the time...nor the ability to do it himself." Syaoran replied, as he pressed nearer to the dining hall.

"Well that's a lie." Meiling muttered. "He has plenty of ability to train her."

Syaoran nodded at her. "Clearly, he's trying to mess with me."

They entered the dining hall. The table centered in the middle of the room was large enough for around forty people, but only three places on the far side of the table were set. Bowls of steaming broth set before three of the mahogany high-back chairs. A pitcher of crystal clear ice water lay in the the center of the place settings, and a few sparkling glasses were ready for use nearby. The aroma of the soup wafted up to Meiling's nostrils. Mushroom broth, her favorite, the dish smelled like heaven.

Syaoran took a seat first, at the head of the farthest end of the wooden table. He eyed the extra place setting hesitantly. Meiling knew immediately that he wondered if the servants had decided to set it themselves, since he hadn't told them to do it. Meiling gingerly lowered herself to her usual chair to Syaoran's right.

"I told them to set the extra place, and I told them to go check on the girl. She must be famished."

If looks could kill Meiling knew she'd drop dead. Her cousin sighed, and lifted his spoon. "Fine," he mumbled, before taking a bite. "But I'm not waiting for her, I'm starving."

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura awoke to a light knock at the door. Grogley, Sakura rose from the mattress, and rubbed her tired emerald eyes. It took her a moment to remember where she was, as she took in her surroundings. The day's previous events flooded through her tired mind, and she remembered the two unusual men she had met that day. The first had been much more accommodating than the second, even if he had let her use this grand room.

There was another knock at the door, a little louder this time. "Miss," A voice laced with honey called out to her.

"Oh, please come in." Sakura yelled back, her voice was hoarse. She coughed from the dryness of it.

A maid entered, her dark black hair was elegantly tied up into a bun at the nap of her neck. The maid's kind brown eyes surveyed her, and she swiftly crossed the distance of the room. The woman placed her hands on her hips and stood in front of Sakura. She wore a traditional black and white maid's uniform.

"Mistress Meiling Li would like you to join her for dinner." Meiling, who was that? The maid tilted her head at Sakura. "There is some soup that may help that cough being served, and I'll prepare you some tea with honey."

Sakura gently removed the warm comforter from her body, and instantly regretted the loss of heat. If she could stay in this bed forever, she'd probably do it.

"Oh please don't trouble yourself," Sakura told her, a slight rasp in her usually sweet voice. "I'm just a bit fatigued from my journey is all."

"You must have some of my tea," She encouraged. "I'll have it ready for you after dinner. Come now miss let's get you ready or your dinner will get cold."

Sakura hadn't noticed the dress that was slung over the maid's arm. It was a frilly yellow thing, with lace at the edges. She wondered where it had come from. It certainly wasn't hers, and she hadn't thought to bring much with her on her journey into The Clow Forest. All she had with her was the clothes on her back, and the dwelling supplies in her backpack.

"Master Syaoran told me that he noticed you didn't have much with you when you came, and instructed me to find some things for you to wear. I told Mistress Meiling of your lack of clothing and she told me to give this to you. She said it never looked right on her anyway."

Sakura blushed, cheeks turning a deep shade of scarlet. She wasn't sure if she'd ever been so embarrassed. Wasn't the clothes that she had on fine? She glanced down at herself, nearly forgetting the awful state of her attire. Her clothing was covered in dirt and grime, and she probably smelled awful.

"I'll mend that tear in your cloak, and bring it back to you in a jiffy." The maid offered.

Sakura tugged it free, and handed the olive cloak to her. The maid took the dress off of her arm and placed it on the bed. Sakura looked at the fine fabric, Tomoyo would approve of it. She loved anything with lace and frills. It looked like something her cousin would have made for her. Tomoyo was always sewing something for Sakura to wear, much to Sakura's displeasure.

"Get changed and head downstairs. The dining hall is down the first hallway on the left once you descend the staircase. Just keep following the walkway to the end."

"Thank you." Sakura told her.

The maid bowed, and exited the room. Sakura wished she had asked the woman her name. How very rude of her. She'd make sure to ask her the next time she bumped into her.

Sakura gently ran her fingers along the pale yellow dress. Looking at it a second time she realized how gorgeous the dress truly was. It must have cost a fortune. Sakura flung her legs over the side of the bed. She wondered how long she had been sleeping, several hours at least. Her body still felt tired, but this was a major improvement over her earlier condition.

She took the dress with her into the attached bedroom, and hurriedly tidied herself up. Sakura didn't think she had time for a full shower since her dinner was probably already starting to get cold. She hastily scrubbed her face with a wet towel and a bar of soap, effectively removing a layer of dirt. Once she felt like she was halfway presentable, she shed her clothing to replace them with the yellow dress.

As she changed she noticed all the damage her days in the forest had done to her. There were many bruises and scrapes in places she hadn't realized has received any. A particularly bad abrasion was on her right knee. She figured she must have received it during her fall when Eriol's wolf spirit had been chasing after her. The yellow dress fell just before the cut, and there was no way she'd be able to hide it. The scratches on her arms, and cheeks were still visible too. She'd just have to go down like she was. There was no use trying to hide her injuries now.

Sakura was glad that this Meiling girl was nearly her size. She felt much better in some clean clothing than in her own grimy ones. The dress fit her nicely. It was just a little loose in the top. The a-line neck scooped down a little further than she would have liked, but she loved how the skirts billowed out into a belle shape from her hips. A belt made of lace was securely tied along the midsection. She'd have to thank the girl for allowing her to borrow such a beautiful piece of clothing.

She realized the maid hadn't left a new pair of shoes for her to wear, so she stuffed her feet back into her old leather boots. They didn't look so bad. The brown material actually accented the dress. Sakura slipped out of her room, and bounded off down the stairs. Hopefully the dining hall wouldn't be hard for her to find on her own.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakua entered the dinning room just as Syaoran was finishing the last bites of his soup. He nearly dropped his spoon into his bowl when he saw her. She was wearing one of Meiling's dresses and it suited her, though he'd never tell that to the girl. She looked much more rested than the last time he had seen her. Her emerald eyes sparkled. The pale yellow of the dress set them off. He shook his head trying to derail his train of thoughts. What was he thinking anyway? This was the girl who was about to disrupt his training regimen. She was practically his enemy.

Meiling offered the girl the seat across from her, and smiled. "Hello, Sakura," She greeted her.

"Hi," Sakura replied, and returned Meiling's smile. "You must be Meiling, thank you for letting me borrow this dress."

"It looks better on you than it did on me. Doesn't it Syaoran?"

He nearly spit out the water he was sipping from his glass. Syaoran glared at his cousin from across the table, and he kicked her shin. His cousin kicked him forcefully back underneath the table. Sakura had no clue that the incident had occurred.

When her cousin didn't reply Meiling continued. "You should keep it."

"Oh I couldn't," Sakura told her. "I'm sure it's much too expensive."

Meiling lifted her spoon to her lips, before she took a bite, she retorted. "Nonsense, I have several more like it, and it's my least favorite. I'll have one of the maids send you some more of my clothing tomorrow. It looks like we're nearly the same size."

"Oh that's not necessary…" Sakura began, picking up her own spoon to scoop it into her bowl.

"You'll need some training gear. Syaoran is a brutal trainer so you'll need some proper attire" When Sakura glanced at her with an unsure expression, she continued. "Don't worry I have plenty to spare."

Syaoran watched as Sakura lost the innocent argument, most people did when they dared trifle with his cousin, Meiling. Sakura took her first bite of soup. A look of contentment spread across her face. He hoped the next course would come out soon, he was starving, and his soup bowl was empty. On cue, a servant brought out the next course, steamed dumplings with a sweet ginger and garlic sauce. Sakura's face lit up with the addition of the new dish. He figured it must have been one she enjoyed.

The trio ate their dumplings in silence. Syaoran was never one for dinner conversations, and he wasn't quite sure what to say anyway with the addition of their unexpected guest. Luckily Meiling was there to pick back up on the conversation.

"So Sakura, where are you from?" His cousin asked the girl.

Sakura dipped another dumpling into sweet sauce, twirling it around with her chopstick. "Tomoeda, Japan."

"We're from Hong Kong." Meiling offered up the information readily to the girl. "We're here at our vacation house to train. Our family can be a bit much at times." She laughed.

Sakura grinned. "Mine as well. I knew that my brother wouldn't let me find a solution to my problem on my own so I left before he could stop me. Are the two of you siblings?"

"No, cousins. We were raised together though, and were practically the same age so it's almost natural that we became close."

"Ah," Sakura took a bite of her dumpling and swallowed. "I have a cousin whom I'm very close to. We usually do everything together. I miss her already."

Well at least the two girls were hitting it off. Syaoran watched as they exchanged more pleasantries. He began to zone out on their conversations. Maybe this easy friendship between the two would work out to his advantage. They could go off and do girly things together and get out of his hair...though Meiling wasn't someone he really thought about going out and doing girly things. This Sakura on the other hand, she probably was someone who liked to shop and get makeovers.

"Syaoran?" Meiling's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He blinked a few times, and Meiling quickly caught on that he hadn't been paying them the least bit of attention. "I asked what time you wanted Sakura ready in the morning? I'll need to get her some clothes together, and Sakura wants to set an alarm."

"Oh," Syaoran mumbled. "7 a.m., that will give me some time to go out for a run first."

"If you wouldn't mind," Sakura looked up at him with her large emerald eyes. "I'd like to go on a run with you. I usually run back home, and it would probably be a good warm up for our training session."

Startled by her response, Syaoran answered without thinking. "6 a.m. then."

"Okay, 6 a.m. it is." She said in a bright and cheery voice that grated on his nerves.

 _Damn._

He had agreed and now he'd have to deal with her earlier. Hopefully the girl would be able to keep up with him. She had barely managed it earlier when they were on their way to the manor. If not he'd just have to leave her behind and find her later. He was already going to have to give up precious time he would have devoted to becoming more powerful to teach her, he wasn't about to give up anymore than he had to.

Syaoran glanced down at his plate. He hadn't even noticed that a servant had brought out the main course, Mui Choy with Pork Belly and a healthy serving of white rice. The girls were already digging into their portions, gleefully eating each bite. Quickly, he caught up to them, shoveling the food into this mouth. The taste of savory mustard greens and salted meat set his tastebuds alight.

A rich chocolate cake was brought out for dessert, but Syaoran was so full he had only managed to take two bites. Meiling must have requested it special for their guest, since the servants didn't often prepare desert unless asked. A bright smile shone on Sakura's face as she took each sweet bite. She placed her dessert fork down on the small china plate, having gotten to the point where she herself couldn't eat anymore. Meiling was the only one out of the three who had gotten down their whole piece.

"Well that was delicious." Meiling remarked. "Best cake I'd had in awhile."

Sakura nodded enthusiastically agreeing with his cousin. "It was fantastic. Do you two eat like this every night?"

"No, not every night. I asked for some of this to be made special since we had a guest."

"Thank you," Sakura exclaimed. "I appreciate it, but you didn't have to go through all that trouble for me. I'm perfectly happy eating instant ramen." She laughed, her voice was beautiful like a perfectly tuned belle.

Not for the first time that night, Syaoran was surprised at where his thoughts had turned. He needed to get this girl out of his head. Maybe he was just tired? The day had been long and a lot had happened. He'd make sure he'd get plenty of rest before he actual begun to train her. He excused himself from their company and headed off to bed for a much needed reprieve.

His thoughts flicked back to the girl, even as he tried to push her away. Something about her got under his skin. He cursed inwardly, this was all Eriol's fault. He'd have to give him an earful the next time he saw the bastard. Syaoran had a feeling that this favor he owed Eriol wouldn't be worth the price he would pay.

Authors Note:

Whoooo two chapters in one day! I'm just in the mood to keep this one going right now. I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far.

I wanted to give a special shout out to my two reviewers. Thank you so much for leaving me a comment. I really appreciate it. Feedback really helps me continue to pump out these chapters quickly. :)

Next chapter we'll get to see training start, and that will be tons of fun! Please don't forget to review, or if you have any questions about the story or just want to chat send me a PM.


	5. Chapter 5: Training Day One

Chapter Five: Training Day One

Sakura awoke to the blaring alarm. She'd made sure to set it to go off thirty minutes before she was supposed to meet Syaoran. He was the kind of person who seemed like he valued strength and commitment, so she'd decided to surprise him by volunteering for extra training. If there was anything she could do to get in his good graces and make this situation easier she'd do it.

Meiling must have had someone bring her some clothes when she wasn't paying attention the night before, or they had come in while she was fast asleep. A pair of athletic leggings, sports bra, and a over-sized t-shirt were waiting for her folded over the back of a chair. Running shoes were tucked underneath the desk. Sakura prayed they would fit. Meiling hadn't asked her what her shoe size was.

Slowly, Sakura pulled herself up out of the bed. She'd gotten plenty of rest, having taking a long nap throughout the day yesterday, and managing to sleep soundly through the night. It was still an effort to pull herself from the warmth of her blankets. She wasn't a natural morning person, though she tried to be. Her brother had always made fun of her for being late when she was younger, in an attempt to show him up she made herself get in the habit of rising early.

Sakura put on Meiling's borrowed clothes, and tried the shoes. The shoes were about a half-size too big but she'd be able to manage them. She'd wished, not for the first time, that she'd thought to bring extra clothes. Sakura hadn't expected to be gone this long from her home. The journey into the forest was only supposed to take a day, but she'd gotten lost along the way.

Her brother must be furious with her. She'd only left him a note. Sakura knew that her father would understand, though he was probably worried. Tomoyo knew that Sakura could take care of herself, but it had been nearly four days. She'd need to make sure she at least contacted her cousin soon. It would be better to avoid her brother for now. Tomoyo could relay any messages. Sakura hadn't brought her cellphone, afraid that her brother would somehow be able to track her down with the was a crazy person when it came to knowing exactly where she was.

Sakura was busy pulling her long hair up into a ponytail when there was a light knock at the door. Hastily, Sakura maneuvered over to it and turned the brass knob. The kind maid from the night before was standing in the entrance. She was balancing an ornate silver tray on one hand, and Sakura's cloak was folded over the other. The smell of fresh eggs and toast was overpowering, and Sakura's mouth began to water. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.

"Good morning Miss," The maid greeted, and smiled."I know you'll be running and training this morning so I just brought you a light breakfast. Best not to overdo it before a run."

"Thank you," Sakura accepted the offered tray. A full glass of water sat beside the eggs and toast. It was the perfect breakfast, one she'd be able to eat quickly.

"I've mended your cloak, and I'll wash your other clothes while you're out. They'll be ready for you when you return this afternoon."

Sakura smiled. "Don't worry, you don't have to do that."

"Miss Meiling said you were to be treated as family. I can't go against her wishes."

"Okay," Sakura agreed reluctantly. She was used to doing everything herself, washing clothes was one of her many chores back home. "At least tell me your name so I'll be able to properly thank you."

"My name is Mitsuki, Miss," The maid told Sakura, as she bowed.

"Thank you very much Mitsuki. You have been a big help." Mitsuki grinned, and waved at Sakura as she retreated down the hall.

Sakura briskly ate the breakfast Mitsuki has brought her. The eggs were seasoned perfectly and seemed to melt in her mouth. She'd have to thank the chief for all of this delicious food if she ever saw them. Sakura downed the glass of water in four big gulps, and exited the room. Meiling had told her to meet Syaoran outside at the front door, and she didn't want to be late. Sakura seemed to instinctively knew that would be a surefire way to get on his on his bad side.

When she pressed through the double doors, he was already waiting for her. He was leaning against the nearest tree, dark bangs falling in his amber eyes. He was dressed in athletic wear perfectly acceptable for training or a run. He jerked his chin up when he noticed her arrival, hair falling back out of his eyes. Sakura noticed that he wasn't scowling for once, which made him look much more attractive. Sakura's cheeks tinged lightly pink at the thought. If Syaoran noticed he didn't remark on it.

Sakura met him underneath the tree. Maybe, he had been in a bad mood yesterday and today would be better. She decided she'd try to give him the benefit of the doubt. He had made sure Meiling got her clothes, and he'd make sure she had a wonderful place to sleep. This guy couldn't be all bad…

"Where are we running?" Sakura asked. She plastered a smile on her face, trying to keep the mood light.

He didn't smile back, but at least he hadn't scowled at her again. "There is a road up to the left. No many people travel it. It's really the perfect place to get in a morning run."

"Okay," Sakura chirped. "I'll follow you."

Syaoran crossed his arms over his chest, and turned his back on her. She followed closely behind him. He showed her where the road was. It looked like it would have a very scenic view for the duration of their work out. Tall trees surrounded the road on either side, branches bowed over head creating a ceiling like effect. Mountains covered in snow rose up into the sky behind them. Sakura could see why Syaoran and Meiling had picked this place to come and train. It was lovely.

"We're running five miles." Syaoran told Sakura. "I expect you to keep up. We have one hour to complete this and return to the front of the manor. Will that be an issue?"

Sakura shook her head. She had been on the track team in high school. It had helped keep her in shape for cheerleading.

Without another word he took off, leaving Sakura in the dust. Sakura's mouth opened, and she felt her competitive nature kick in. She wasn't about to let him show her up. Sakura surged forward, letting herself fall into a natural rhythm. Though she knew she could go faster, she let him stay just a bit ahead. She didn't want to use all her energy up at once. It would be better for her to save it until the end, also she didn't entirely know where she was going. Sakura didn't want to end up lost again. She'd never had a good sense of direction.

They jogged mile after mile. Once in awhile Syaoran would glance over his shoulder and check to see if she was still behind him. If he considered this a test, she hoped she was passing it. They circled back around towards the manor's grounds. When Sakura was certain that she knew her surroundings and that the run was almost over, she picked up the pace. Syaoran saw what she was trying to do and began to run all out at top speed. Sakura's muscles burned and her lungs felt like they were about to burst.

The two were neck in neck, neither wanting to accept defeat. Sakura's breath came out in ragged spurts but she pushed herself harder, determined that she'd show Syaoran Li just what she could do. Sakura could hear Syaoran's own gasps as he struggled to inhale the fresh mountain air. They reached the manor's steps at the same time. Sakura collapsed into a heap into the cool grass, panting loudly. Syaoran doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

Sakura lay back stretching out her arms into the grass waiting for her breathing to return to normal.

 _I think I overdid it. I'm going to die._

"Well…" Syaoran said, fighting his words to get them out. "that...wasn't...what I...expected."

Sakura didn't speak for a few moments, waiting until she thought she could say something without her breakfast coming back up. "I ran track in high school."

"That makes sense." He joined her on the ground, but stayed a few feet away. "You don't like to lose do you?"

"No, but neither do you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The steadily rising sun warmed the air around them. Syaoran had retrieved light zip up jackets for both him and Sakura after their morning run. It was a little chilly in the mountains this time of year. He hadn't anticipated them needing the added warmth for their run, but he'd be doing a lot of explaining today as they trained. They'd need the jackets for when their blood wasn't pumping vigorously through their veins.

Syaoran hadn't expected to find a worthy running partner in Sakura. Meiling was the only other person who he'd ever known who could keep up with him. Maybe training this girl would be worth his time after all, though he wouldn't be able to know for sure until they actually started. He directed her to follow him to a deserted spot directly under several evergreen trees. The plush grass bent under his shoes. Sakura followed closely behind, but to his liking she kept an acceptable distance.

"First," He glanced over shoulder at his student. "Tell me what you know about spirits." He needed to determine her level of knowledge so he could tailor her training around it.

"I…" She paused and pressed her fingers into the edges of her jacket pockets. "Honestly, I just know that they are powerful creatures. They can be volatile or gentle. Some people have the ability to draw energy from them and according to Eriol I'm one of those people."

Syaoran snapped his eyes closed and sighed deeply. This was going to be a long day if that was the extent of her knowledge. Eriol should have at least explained things to this girl a little. She'd have a lot of training to do. Frustration that he cousin had forced this teaching role onto him roiled inside him once again.

"I'm sorry," Sakura offered him an apology. As annoying as it was to have to train some strange girl he didn't even know, deep down he knew that this wasn't exactly her fault. He groaned and wondered why his cousin decided on this particular kind of torture.

"It's fine," Though, he hadn't intending them to his words had a bite. Sakura flinched. He ignored her reaction. "I'm going to ask you to ignore nearly everything you've ever been told about spirits. While yes, they are powerful creatures who can be volatile and gentle, what most people don't understand is that they often times become corrupted by dark magic. That can create a volatile creature who is usually a passive spirit. People like to blame the spirits themselves, but this dark magic that preys upon them is outside of their control. It corrupts them turning them into terrifying forces of nature. It's our jobs as Pact Keepers to free them from this darkness and keep everyone safe, spirits included. Unfortunately, not all who have the ability to form pacts feel this way. Some feel their only job is to keep humans safe, and in turn they mercilessly destroy spirits instead of bothering to free them from the chains of dark corruption."

Sakura's mouth was agape. "That's horrible," She stammered. "Why would someone do that when they could help an innocent creature?"

"These Pact Keepers don't care. They only want the glory of saving human lives. They don't care about the life of anything else. It's just easier for them to take a spirit's life as it takes more time and energy to free a spirit from darkness. These 'Pact Keepers' want all the glory, with only part of the work."

"But wouldn't spirits be opposed to this treatment of their own kind?"

"Yes, but once a spirit is bound to a human soul, until that life is exhausted they are compelled to serve without question. It's part of the oath they take before becoming bound." Syaoran explained.

"Then what is the human offering in return?" Syaoran saw sorrow reflected in her emerald eyes. She felt sympathy for the bound magical creatures.

"I can't say. It's different for everyone. You and the spirits you form a pact with will decide."

Syaoran could almost see the thoughts that were flooding through Sakura's mind. What could she offer a spirit? She confirmed his suspension when she asked her next question.

"What if it doesn't want anything from me?" She asked unable to hide the slight panic in her voice.

Syaoran shrugged rolling his broad shoulders. "There is always something. You'd be surprised."

He was curious as to what a spirit would ask of her to make a pact. He had made three pacts and each spirit had asked something different from him. His wolf spirit had simply wanted his help to defeat the darkness, and Syaoran had readily agreed since their goals aligned. When had had formed this pact, his first of the three, he hadn't realized what it would feel like to be held to his word by magic. Nothing could stop him from breaking this sacred promise, not that he had tried, but the compulsion to follow through was overwhelming.

"When do I make a pact?"

"You're not ready yet." Syoran answered sharply. The thought of her making a pact without truly understanding the consequences weighed heavily on him. She hadn't learned enough yet. "That's enough questions for today about pacts. You'll learn more tomorrow. For the rest of the day were going to focus on physical training."

"What kind of physical training?"

"Well, it's best that you learn some form of martial arts or sword fighting. Preferably both. Your spirit acts as your partner and as such you'll be expected to contribute in a fight."

Sakura's eyes widened like she was realizing the danger this meant for the first time. He wasn't surprised, but at least she didn't look like she was going to run away. If she couldn't handle the training than she wasn't worthy of becoming pact keeper. He'd make sure she was ready before she formed her first pact, even if training this girl wasn't something he would have chosen for himself.

Authors Note:

Happy Holidays! I've been off work so I've had a little more time to work on this story. I'll try to get another chapter out next weekend since I'll have a three day weekend, but no promises.

Leave me a review so that I know you're liking it or not. I'm always open to constructive criticisms. Thanks! Hope you enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6 : Shopping with Meiling

Chapter Six: Shopping with Meiling

By the end of the day Sakura was so exhausted she could barely move. Syaoran had spent the rest of the day teaching her the basics of martial arts. She'd done her best to try to keep up with him,clearly he was a master, while she found the techniques difficult. It had been a struggle to retain anything. It definitely wasn't like cheerleading, though she was sure her agility had given her a slight advantage.

Surprisingly, Syaoran had been somewhat of a patient teacher. He did seem as if he was trying not to take his frustrations at her progress out on her, but he had slipped up a few times. Sakura began to feel bad that she was taking up so much of his time. There was nothing else for her to do though. Eriol wouldn't teach her. She'd have to continue with these lessons. Syaoran had agreed to teach her after all hadn't he?

It was nearly five in the afternoon and Sakura was so tired she could hardly make it up the stairs to her borrowed room. When she reached the top of the stairwell landing she found Syaoran's cousin Meiling waiting for her. A wide grin stretched across her face.

"How did training go?" The dark haired girl asked.

Sakura paused at the top of the stairwell landing. She forced a smile onto her exhausted face.

"It was quite difficult." Sakura managed to mumble. "I feel like I'm going to fall over."

"Well you're still able to walk and talk, so my cousin must not have been too harsh on you for your first lesson." If this was easy Sakura didn't want to know what difficult looked like.

Meiling tossed a long pigtail over her shoulder, and placed a hand on her hip. "I wanted to see if you wanted to go shopping with me. I'm sure you could use some things if you're going to stay with us for awhile."

Sakura considered Meiling's words. She was right, She'd rather go pick up some things. Then she wouldn't have to borrow so much from Meiling. There was a debit card tucked into her pocket she'd taken with her just in case she needed it for emergencies. Sakura make sure to keep it on her at all times. Hopefully her brother wouldn't be able to track it. Even if he could he'd have no way of knowing exactly where she was anyway.

"Okay, let's go." Sakura grinned with as much energy as she should muster. Really she just wanted a nap, but this might be her only chance to be able to pick up some supplies.

"Great, come on I'll drive." Meiling grabbed Sakura's arm and began to pull her back down the stairs she had just stumbled up.

"Meiling...shouldn't I change first?" Sakura was still covered in sweat from her training season.

Meiling glanced back and survived the girl. "No, you look fine."

Sakura was sure she didn't look fine. She sighed deeply as she was dragged down to the bottom floor of the Li residence. Meling pushed her back through the front door. Sakura felt like she was moving backwards instead of forward as she was forced back towards where her training had just taken place. A sleek black car was already waiting for them. Meiling must have had gotten it ready for them in anticipation.

Meiling opened the passenger side door of the car fully intending to shove Sakura inside. Sakura nearly felt like she was being kidnapped.

"What are you doing?" Syaoran's gruff voice immediately caught Sakura's attention. It made her feel like she was doing something wrong, though his words had been directed at his cousin.

Meiling turned and eyed her sweat covered cousin. While he and Sakura were training he had sent her away, staying behind to finish up something on his own. Sakura watched the young man's face. His mouth was trapped in a thin disapproving line and his amber eyes were narrowed.

"We're going out." Meiling replied simply. Her intense ruby eyes focused on her cousin as if challenging him.

"She's been training all day. You better not. Look at her…" He waved his hand toward Sakura in exasperation.

Sakura blushed, embarrassed by the attention. She knew she was exhausted and worn out, but he didn't need to point it out. Sakura scrunched up her nose, slightly annoyed. "I'll be fine." She mumbled.

"You're not fine." He barked out at her. "You look like you're going to pass out, and I even took it easy on you today." Syaoran turned back to Meiling and glared. "If she's not able to train tomorrow I'm going to blame you."

Meiling laughed as she shoved Sakura into the car. "Syaoran you're much too serious. We'll be back in a few hours."

Syaoran shook his head. "Whatever…" He left the car and trudged up the steps leading to the main entrance of the manor. He pulled the door open and slammed it behind him. Sakura winced at the sound. Syaoran wasn't happy, but it wasn't like she could back out on her trip to go shopping with Meiling now. Besides this would be a good opportunity for her to get to know her better. Sakura felt like she was living with strangers, but she'd much rather know she was staying with at least one friend.

"He doesn't seem too happy about us going out, but I'm glad you invited me." Sakura told the girl, who had ignored her cousin's tantrum and slide into the drivers seat.

Meiling winked at her. "Don't worry about him. He needs to chill out sometimes. I guess once I was more like him...He hasn't had the easiest life."

"Have you too always been close?" Sakura asked as Meiling put the car into drive.

"No, not always. There was a time when I don't think he was close to anyone. Honestly, I feel like I forced my way into his life. There was a time when I wanted to marry him." Meiling answered.

"What?" Sakura screeched as her emerald eyes widened.

"Yeah, we're not first cousins actually...more like third or fourth. We come from a big family. I thought the two of us would end up getting married, especially since he's so cold to most people. For the longest time I thought that was what I wanted."

"So what happened?"

"Life, I know that he'd never love me like that. I want to marry someone who will love me with everything they have. We're much better off being friends." Meiling glanced at Sakura a smile etched onto her face.

"I once thought I loved someone too." Sakura told the girl. "He was my brother's best friend. I wanted to spend all my time with him, but he could have never loved me like that either. Actually, he was more like a second brother to me. I just didn't realize it at the time."

Meiling nodded. "Love can be a complicated thing."

XXXXXXXX

The two girls arrived at the Shangdian Shopping District, which was a thirty minute drive from the manor. Meiling maneuvered the car into a parking spot Sakura was almost sure the car wouldn't fit into, but somehow the dark haired girl made it work. The shopping district was packed. Meiling had driven around the parking lot for fifteen minutes before the tiny parking spot had even opened up. She had then fought with another driver for the spot positioning the car in a way that made it impossible for the dark blue SUV to slide in. The driver of the SUV had speed off angry, and Meiling had only laughed saying it served them right...the spot was clearly hers anyway.

Sakura laughed nervously sure she would have just turned around and gone home. She concluded the Meiling was a very determined person. When she wanted something she made it happen.

Sakura unbuckled her seatbelt and squeezed her way out from between Meiling's car and the truck that was parked what felt like only inches away. The owner of the vehicle was going to have a tough time getting back into the truck if they returned before she and Meiling had finished their shopping.

"Come on Sakura!" Meiling called. She was already halfway way to the nearest clothing store. "Almost everything closes in two hours. We're going to have to hurry it up."

Two hours? Sakura hoped hoped that would be enough time. It was already 7pm. They would need to hurry if she was going to be able to be able to find everything she needed. First on Sakura's list would be a new pair of shoes. The shoes Meiling had borrowed her fit well enough...but she wanted something of her own.

Sakura followed the energetic girl into the clothing store. Racks of brand new sundresses lined the front of the store. A sign hung down low advertising it as their new spring collection. Sakura glances at the price tag of one of them. Her jaw dropped. They're we're much too expensive. She was sure the small amount of money on her card wouldn't even cover one of these dresses. Tomoyo would have been in heaven in this place, clearly it was a designer store.

Maybe they would have a clearance section she hopped. Meiling started to run her fingers over one of the dresses.

"This would look great on you."

Sakura blinked rapidly then looked down at her borrowed athletic shoes. "Meiling, it's beautiful, but I can't afford that."

Meiling tilted her head to the side, and eyed Sakura. "You're shopping with a Li. Of course you can afford this. I have Syaoran's credit card."

"Syaoran's credit card?" Sakura asked slowly as she looked back up to meet Meiling's gaze.

"Yes, It's for emergencies...and this is an emergency. Autie Yelan would understand."

"Meiling! I couldn't use that to buy myself clothes. You don't even really know me." Sakura squeaked. She wouldn't let Meiling use that card to buy her anything. "Isn't there any cheaper stores around or do they have a clearance section?"

Meiling ignored Sakura's protests and began to stuff clothes into a large shopping bag that the store provided their customers with to carry around merchandise. She even picked out several pairs of shoes in her size to go along with the outfits she threw inside, along with a pair of running shoes that Sakura had been eyeing.

"This is your size right?" Meiling asked, as she thrust a pair of jeans towards Sakura.

"Yes...but."

"Good," The ruby eyed girl piled the pair of jeans into the bag with all the other pieces of clothing she had picked out for Sakura. "Since we're running short on time you can just try them on at home. If they don't fit I'll have one of the maids run up here to return them."

Despite Sakura's protests Meiling brought all the clothing she had picked up off the endless racks and shelves up to the cash register. It took the blonde girl running the cash register nearly twenty minutes to sort through all the items of clothing and scan them. Meiling swiped Syaoran's credit card paying for the rather large amount of clothing. Sakura wondered how angry he would be when he found out his cousin had been the one to purchase all of this with his family's money. Guilt lingered in the pit of her stomach. She hoped it wouldn't make the training harder on her.

"Let's go put this into the car and then we can find something to eat." Meiling skipped ahead of Sakura. She popped the trunk open by hitting a button on the car's key fob. Gingerly she placed the bags of clothing she held into the back, and signaled Sakura to do the same.

Sakura glanced at the clothing bags feeling panic rise up from the pit of her stomach. Their were eight of them in total, filled to the brim. Syaoran wasn't going to be happy in the least bit about this.

"Stop looking so petrified." Meiling sighed. "If you're that worried about it I'll talk to him. I'll tell him it was all my idea." She slammed the trunk shut with the tips of her fingers.

A high pitched screech made both girls nearly jump out of their skin. Sakura's already rattled nerves make her knees quake. What in the world was that? People who had been leisurely strolling around the shopping district stopped to figure out where the sound had come from. Somes eyes searches the sky, and others swiveled around trying to find the source of the strange disturbance.

Meiling opened and then closed her mouth, as if she was afraid to voice an opinion on the subject. "Forget dinner," Meiling told her. "We should get out…."

Before Meiling could finish her sentence the screech returned even louder. Sakura could hear the sound of enormous wings flapping. She turned on her heels just in time to see a giant birdlike creature coming right towards the shopping center. A spirit...here? She'd heard stories of them attacking cities, she'd even seen footage on the news and online, but she'd never seen this happen in person. Fear kept Sakura rooted in the same spot.

"Sakura," Meiling called. "Get in the car now."

Sakura turned around to move toward the car, but the bird swooped down upon them. Meiling rolled underneath the car to keep away from the path of the bird spirit, but Sakura wasn't so lucky. She barely managed to get out of the angry creature's reach. The spirit reached for her with it's piercing talons ready to strike.

Sakura ran as fast as her aching legs would carry her, the day's training was still wearing on her making it almost impossible for her to keep ahead of the deadly beast.

 _What should I do? It's going to kill me._

In the distance Sakura saw a tiny alleyway. She decided her best chance was to wedge herself inside of it. The spirit wouldn't be able to fit inside and maybe it would get bored of chasing her and leave her alone. Sakura slide inside the tight space, heart beating rapidly. Her ragged breaths escaped her aching lungs.

The bird spirit screeched once more. It was even louder than it had been before now that it was so close to her. Sakura covered her ears. The wind picked up around her. Could this creature use magic? Most spirits could. Maybe hiding herself inside the allway had been a bad choice after all.

Sakura felt the wind wrap itself around her. She closed her eyes...was this to be the way her life ended? Her body trembled.

"Don't be afraid child." A soothing voice echoed in the small space. "I know who you are."

Sakura opened her eyes. The wind...it wasn't the bird spirit. The figure of a woman stood before her. When she grinned at Sakura and her yellow eyes brightened. Her long white hair bellowed out behind her as she moved closer to Sakura. The wind moved with her as if they were one.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked, strangely feeling calm though the bird spirit was still trying to fit its body inside the alleyway behind them.

The woman tilted her head. "My name is Kaze. I am a spirit of the wind. If you wish it I will share my power with you."

"You wish to form a pact with me?"

The wind spirit reached out her delicate hand.

"Yes, form a pact with me," The wind whistled at the woman spoke. "I will help you."

Sakura hesitantly reached out her hand to the spirit. Syaoran had said she wasn't ready to form a pact, but what other choice did she have? This spirit was willing to help her, there was no way she could turn down her down. The alternative was potentially death.

"What do you require?" Sakura asked the wind spirit when their hands met.

Author's Note:

Hello! Sorry for the long break….life has happened and I haven't been able to work on this quite as much, but I have every intention of finishing so don't worry about that! I also have some ideas for some other stories...I sort of kinda started writing on a new one last week. I will post the first chapter of that shortly.

Has anyone been watching CCS Clear Card? I'm soooo pleased with how it's been turning out. The last episode...oh my gosh soo cute!

As always thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and reviewing!


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